The major aim of this study was to determine whether insulin resistance/glucose intolerance is related to the alterations in the fractional synthesis rates of albumin and apolipoprotein B. The approach used was the primed, constant infusion of L-{I,2-13C2} leucine with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis of the 13C enrichment in hydrolyzed samples of apo B and albumin. Eight volunteers were studied between 12/1/95 and 5/7/96. Laboratory analyses are pending. Technical difficulties with VLDL isolation and mass spectrometry sensitivity in the albumin enrichments were encountered.